Abies

Korean fir is fairly common in the gardens of southern Finland. Its stiff needles give a “hedgehog” impression, while the upward-curving branches of the crown give the tree a distinctly oriental look. Attractive violet-blue cones decorate the tree when still under 2m (6 ft.) in height. Native to South Korea, it is found on the upper slopes of individual mountains in small isolated stands‍‍, in total on only a few square kilometre‍‍s. This species is listed as Endangered in the wild.

The older specimens at Mustila have been raised from seed from Mt. Jiri in South Korea. They represent the ‍‍larger form of the species, which is also faster-growing and hardier than the perhaps better-known small form. Most of the trees seen in Finnish gardens are of this latter form,‍‍ imported as ‍‍p‍lants‍. Seedlings of the smaller form have also been planted at Mustila since the turn of the millennium.

The massive, majestic form of the needle fir clearly distinguishes it from other firs at Mustila. It has rough bark, long slightly upswept strong branches and stiff sharp-pointed needles of a lively green. Its timber is durable and a rich dark brown.

Needle fir was found in North Korea near the end of the 1800s. It also grows in the Ussuri area near Vladivostok and in north-eastern China, near the border with North Korea. In the West, its use has been limited to collections. It is rather slow-growing but tough, hardy and requires little attention; it does best growing in full sunlight in rich soil. It is one of the few firs untroubled by fir aphids. For beauty and hardiness it ranks high among Mustila’s conifers.

The handsome specimen at the lower edge of Etelärinne (Southern slope) is probably the oldest individual of the species to be found in the West. It dates from the collection made by the famous botanist V. L. Komarov on his expedition to Korea in 1897. Seed was also received from North Korea in the 1930s, while in the 1990s and the early years of this millennium batches have also been received from South Korea, Manchuria, and the Ussuri area of Russia. All these provenances have shown themselves to be hardy so far.

This species is one of the giant conifers found in the temperate rainforests of North America’s west coast. Under the right conditions it can achieve a height of 70m (230 ft.) In habit, the grand fir is a regularly shaped cone, best recognized by the long needles arranged comb-like along the branches.

Grand fir is a maritime species especially favouring warm valleys. In Europe it has proved successful in places like the British Isles. Attempts to grow it in Finland have usually ended quickly in death by freezing. However, a few specimens have been grown successfully which shows that, given carefully selected northern and continental provenances, the species can be grown in southern Finland.

In 2003, seed from the Klesilkwa river valley east of the Cascade Mountains was planted at Mustila and has developed without problems - so far. The protected site on the Pohjoisrinne (Northern Slope) together with abundant snow cover in winter have helped the young plants to survive the early stages when their needles are most susceptible to the combined effects of spring sunshine and cold winds.